The Handyman Part II

Part II

of the Handyman

Multiple Sclerosis is difficult to diagnose. 

Consequently Mother had many different warnings. 

The blindness was the first, then she would have incredible fatigue and finally the tingling numbness in her limbs. 

Mother worked for as long as she could outside the home before finally giving in and retiring.

At home again, she looked at her house with new eyes. 

There was much work to be done. 

Unfortunately, she couldn’t do it herself, but she had two sons and a husband that could. 

So Mother became the foreman and directed her team of handymen from an electric cart that could motor all over the property. 

There was no longer any problem with her eyesight. Her attention to detail was daunting.

So was MS. 

Each winter and summer season saw her lose a little. 

It became a game to see if she could keep stable through the intense cold and then heat. 

Some years were better, but then some worse and soon she found herself bedridden with, my father her only caretaker.

My parents’ love for each other was truly demonstrated during this time. 

My father stayed by her side and attended to her every comfort. 

Mother’s eyesight dimmed, but her memory improved. 

She now used her memory to attend to the details around the house. 

Knowing that it was time to plant flowers, which colors and how many of each would be necessary to fit the planters. 

She would check the calendar and remember that it was time to prepare for winter, to seal the windows and check the furnace. 

Summer was time to clean filters and service the air conditioner. 

Spring would be the time to clean the garage and get rid of stuff that had accumulated. 

Surprisingly, Mother knew exactly what was in the garage and where it was and when it was time for it to go. 

She also kept track of her large family from memory. 

Birthdays, Anniversaries and the holidays were all causes to celebrate and required cards to be sent.

The Handyman

 Happy Pink Saturday!

Please join all the lovely ladies at PS.

Thank you as always Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

Happy Halloween!

Happy Day!

A house is only a home when someone loves it. 

My mother created a home for her family.

In honor of the Phoenix MS Walk the first weekend of November and Halloween,

I would like to share:

The Handyman

with you.

Part I

As a young girl I remember my mother as a homemaker. 

In the 50’s this was not such an unusual thing. 

I came home often from school to treats she baked. She was always testing recipes. 

Meticulous in her home design, she would spend hours poring over magazines for just the right piece to add to the home. Her favorite was a white ceramic cat that has been more than once been mistaken for real.

In the 70’s my family moved from Minneapolis to Alexandria, Minnesota where my mother and father found a large home that was desperately in need of help. 

The previous owner, with no homeowner association, had elected to paint the outside in several different colors as he found them. Yellow, red and green, with white trim. 

The house was a disaster which was exactly why, I think, my mother fell in love. 

This was a home she could really help.

After the renovations were completed, and her family grown, Mother decided it was time for her to enter the workforce. She took a position with 3M. 

Mother loved her job.

Working at 3M was just like when she worked on the home, she gave it her all. And 3M was amazing as a company. They wanted to improve and were always asking for employees to make suggestions and then most important, they listened. 

Mom felt validated as an employee working for them and loved her new vocation.

The day she lost her eyesight was frightening. One moment she could see, the next there was nothing. Allergic reaction they said. 

Perhaps some new cleaning solvent at work. 

Mother waited and was thankful when once again she could see. 

She went back to work. 

Only years later would we realize the blindness was the first warning.

It's Done

After much effort. :)

And a bunch of fun.

Here it is:

I love the collar.

Now I've got something else on the needles

to travel with,

and I'm working on an Advent Calendar 

for a swap.

See you all soon.

Look What I Got!!!!!

A while back I mentioned

here that I really wanted a very cute teapot.

Very cute.

Look what my darling daughters bought me.

Isn't it just perfect?

Good Morning

Happy Pink!

Once again I'm joining up with the pink ladies

to say, "Go Pink!"

Head over to visit Beverly

and the other gals at 

How Sweet the Sound. 

They are all so amazing.

This week I've

Freelanced an article

which will be printed next month.

Finished a bit more of this:

 

All most done.

I'll reveal the finished later.

Hope you all have a great day.

A Quickie Pink Saturday

For all of you with your minds in the gutter -

A quick post -

not a . . .

For Pink Saturday.

That wonderful day of the week when we all get together

with Beverly from How Sweet the Sound

to share our pinks.

 A quick pic

 Still working in the red

wearing the pink!

Have a great day all!

 

And on to the next project . . .

Yep, no sense wasting time.

Look what's on the needles now.

I can't wait to show you.

I'm so excited. 

I saw the pattern and went 

YES! LOVE!

 

What I've Been Knitting

Fall comes knocking

and even though it's still 100+ in Phoenix

I get the urge to knit.

I had a pattern in mind,

but when I found this green

the long sleeved cardigan

just didn't get me excited, too much like one I already own.

And then I decided I wanted more of a vest cardigan,

so 

I went off-pattern.

A very risky choice, as I've never done so before.

But what do you think?

Besides that it's way too hot for a turtle neck and sweater still.

What I'm Reading Now.

Book Club met

and picked their next book.

One member thought something in keeping

with the Halloween season

would be great.

So we picked:

I don't want to spoil it, but let's

say it's a funny horror story.

Or a horror story written by a funny writer.

To give you a taste.

His dedication:

"For my wife, who has been so tolerant and wonderful through all of this that 

I think she might be a product of my imagination.

Also, my best friend, Mack Leighty, who gave birth to the "John"

mentioned in my title, and who years ago convinced me to get

into writing as a hobby instead of alcoholism.

Mack, I'll never forget that when things got really tough in my life,

you stepped up and killed those dudes for me."

Funny, right?

This morning I found myself laughing out loud.

The Middle Seat

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments 

regarding my last post.

Since flight stories are a delight,

here is another one for you.

A few months back

as I sat in the plane waiting for takeoff

a young man with a backpack

came on board late.

Almost all the seats were taken.

All in fact, but two.

Two middle seats.

One next to me.

The other behind me.

The young man walked past me looking for a place to stow

his luggage.

I waited.

The flight attendant tried to hurry him.

There are two middle seats, he said.

The man walked to the nearest middle seat,

which was the one behind me

and asked to sit.

The men behind me shook their heads and pointed to the middle seat

beside me.

This I didn't see.

I only knew he came to be by my side,

and asked to sit in the middle seat next to me.

I jumped up, and stepped out into the aisle.

He said, "Thank you."

I told him, "It's my pleasure."

He sat. I sat and leaned away from him.

As the plane took off, the young man turned to me and said,

"You don't need to lean away."

I smiled. "I know that the middle seat is the least enjoyable.

I wanted you to have plenty of room."

And then I told him that I often speak of the middle seat.

How everyone on the plane is a mother, father, brother, son.

They are on their way to a loved one, to work, to play.

And all they want is for someone to see them as a person

who needs a seat.

Instead of an object or obstacke,

someone who is in the way.

The young man was a teacher.

He was headed across the country to work with some students.

I was headed home.

We talked long about the middle seat,

and the meaning behind seeing people as people.

People just like yourselves,

who just want to sit..

It's Pink Day Again

Once again it's Pink Saturday.

Please join all the pinkies at 

Beverly's.

 

Thank you so much, Beverly,

for hosting this meme every week.

This week while at the airport,

yes, I know I'm there a lot,

I sat beside a young man.

I picked up my knitting and he turned to me and said,

"Good afternoon."

I was shocked.

I thought he might be talking on the phone,

but, no. 

He was talking to me.

He proceeded to tell me, at twenty,

this was his first time flying

and he was frightened.

I told him my story about the little girl

who sat beside me and was also on her

first flight.

I told her I fly twice a week -at least -

and had been flying that much for 

fifteen years.

She nodded and asked me,

So how many times have you crashed?

The young man laughed with me.

I encouraged him all would be well.

On the plane a very nice older woman asked to sit beside me.

She had an overstuffed bag and when she 

leaned over to dig something out

I thought perhaps yarn?

But no,

she dug out 

her rosary.

Then she proceeded to pray and cross herself.

For a brief moment I wondered,

if I was being told something.

But no, the flight was uneventful.

But both people were looking for something.

The young man, confirmation that 

following his dreams was a legitimate choice.

My opinion: Always follow your dreams.

The older woman, an encouraging word.

She was flying to Texas to be with an ailing mother.

My opinion: Always follow your heart.

In return,

I too received something.

Blessings from them both.

The only thing I had to do, was

follow my dream, follow my heart and then open my mouth..

 

I hope your day is filled with blessings.